Three Days
by MBC-Fan
Summary: When a new girl comes and a strange rock falls from the stars, how long will she have left to live?
1. Cari Arrives

**Cari Lane's POV (Point of View)**

**Nobody told me I was going to a new school. Especially in Singletown. I didn't know anyone, but my older sister, Marie, was determined to help me make new friends. But the truth was I didn't **_**want **_**to make new friends! I liked to be by myself most of the time. Nothing was changing my mind, nothing! I don't want to meet anybody. **

"**Cari, we're here!" exclaimed Marie as she pulled our mom's old Honda up the drive. **

"**Oh, goody," I rolled my eyes as we got out of the car and I grabbed my bags and tennis rackets.**

"**C'mon, Cars, it can't be **_**that **_**hard making new friends." Marie explained, grapping her Adidas sport bag and her purses and volleyball.**

"**It is for me. I don't ever **_**know anyone**_** here."**

"**You'll see I was right, and when you come home with new friends, I'll be dying to say 'I told you so, Cars.' So what's new? Any more artwork done?"**

"**Well, I did get 'A Day at the Lake' done." I handed her my binder full of portraits, landscapes and cartoon-like drawings and comics.**

"**Wow, Cars, you've been busy," she said, flipping through all of my art.**

**I shrugged and headed inside.**

"**Whoa," I murmured. "Look at this place…"**

"**What? Wow-e…" Marie gasped as we looked around.**

**In front of us was the living room which to our right was connected to the kitchen. Diagonal from the kitchen was the stairs, and tot eh left of the stairs was the dining room. I headed up the stairs and chose the bedroom on the end of the hallway, opposite from the other door down the hall. I set my things on the ground and looked around my new room. Blank, as usual, and surprisingly large for a teenage girl's bedroom. But, as they say, a girl has her needs. I reached into my bag and got out my CD player, plugged it into the outlet, inserted Taylor Swift's 'Fearless' CD, pressed the play button, and sped up to number twelve, "Best Days".**

**I stepped to the window and just as I peered to my right I saw a boy outside, playing with three other kids. Another boy and two girls. All laughing and having fun. I hatched an idea. I grabbed my tennis racket and ball and told Marie I'd be practicing my swings.**

"**Come back inside in fifteen for lunch!" called Marie from the kitchen. "We're having PB&J!"**

"'**Kay!" I replied as the backdoor slammed shut.**

**The kids next door hadn't seen me yet, so I began to practice my swings, which I hadn't done in a while, so what I said to Marie was true and a get-away line to get the kids' attention and maybe start a conversation.**

**The ball first went at least far enough that I had to run to get it.**

**No one noticed.**

**I swung harder with a grunt of effort and missed.**

**I huffed, and my bangs blew off my forehead but back over my blue eyes.**

**I swung, and the ball went flying to next door and almost hit someone.**

"**Whoa!"**

"**Sorry! My bad! Are you okay?"**

"**Yeah."**

**I started walking over to get my ball, when one of them asked me a question.**

"**Hey, are you the new kid?"**

"**I have a name. It's Cari. Cari Lane."**

"**Hey, Cari, I'm Cathy." The blond girl giggled and spun in circles, pointing to another kid as she spun. "And these are my friends: Chris, Danny, and Sam."**

"**Hey," Sam said with a wave.**

"**Cool. I'm Danny." Danny said, folding his arms trying to look cool and ended up tripping over his own feet. **

**They all laughed, even me. And I hardly ever laugh.**

"**Welcome to the neighborhood, Cari. I'm Chris." Chris held out his hand with a warm smile and I had to shake it. The smile set it off. Once I touched his hand, a warm shiver went through my body.**

**Someone opened the door behind us.**

"**Kids, time for lunch!"**

**At the same time, Marie showed up, grabbing my shoulder.**

"**Hey, Cars, time for lunch."**

"**Coming." I turned to the others. "See you later!" I ran and looked back to wave.**

**Chris ran after me. "Wait! You forgot your ball!"**

"**Keep it!"**

**He slowed to a stop and looked at the ball, then at me, and smiled that same warm smile. **

**Another chill ran through me.**


	2. Franky

Cari Lane's POV

When I least expected it, my BFF, a spunky brunette, Franky called.

"Hello?" I asked, sounding bored.

"Hey girl!" She said excitedly. I was guessing she had sugar. "How's Singletown?"

"Well, I met a group of kids, and they were really nice!" I replied, twirling the grey plastic phone cord around my finger. "What's up with you?"

"I just got back from camp, so I decided to call you first, then Mary, then Rachel—"

"Which one? Stewart?"

"Yeah!"

"She's ok…" I sighed.

"Well, I saw her at camp, and we clicked! Isn't that weird?"

"Yeah…" Every time she told me about camp, I became more left out. I placed the phone between my ear and shoulder and began to flip through a magazine entitled "Teen Zine".

"Did you go to camp?"

"No. I took art classes."

"Psh. You're no fun." She rolled her eyes on the other line.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I don't like it when you draw sad things in class, Cari! They make me sad. And I hate being sad. You know, people are now calling you a 'depression freak', Cari. That's not good for your rep."

"So?"

"Stop acting like—Oops! It's Rachel. She's here. Got to go. Call you and see you soon!" She hung up before I could reply.

"Yeah…see you…" I hung up and was left feeling more depressed by the minute.

I waited an hour.

No Franky.

Two hours.

No Franky.

Three hours someone rang the doorbell.

"I got it!" I called to Marie as I got up and out the door of my bedroom and padded down the red carpeted stairway and up to the mahogany front door. I peeked through the peek hole, and there stood Chris.

I opened the door, smiling.

"Hey, Cari!"

"Hey, what're you doing here?"

"Nothing much. Just wanted to see if you could come over to my place."

"Um…maybe, hold on." I yelled over my shoulder to Marie, "Is it ok if I go over to Chris's?"

"You have on hour."

"Ok!"

"Cool."

We headed over to Chris's big, white suburban house.

We sat on the grass and talked about what school would be like. We also played with his medium blue Frisbee for fifteen minutes in the blazing sun when Marie called from the porch.

"Cari! It's Franky!"

"Tell her I'll call her back in a few!"

"Whatever."

Marie went back inside and shut the screen-door behind her with a _click_.

"Who's Franky?" Chris asked, wiping sweat from his tanned forehead.

"Oh, and old friend from my school that I used to go to."

"Ah," he replied, sitting back down on the soft grass.

I sat down beside him on the soft yet particularily wet grass. I sighed.

Twenty minutes passes while we joked and played around before I had to leave.

"See you tomorrow, Cari!"

"Really?" I stopped and turned back to the tanned, blue-eyed boy.

"Yeah, if you want."

"I wouldn't miss it!" I smiled wide at him before I turned and headed home.

"Call me!"

"Wait! I don't have your number!"

"Come over tomorrow then!"

"Ok!" I called back to him as I ran up the porch steps and went inside.

"Don't forget to call back Franky."

"Sure thing." I said breathlessly as I grabbed an apple out of the decorated basket of fruits and headed up to my room and dialed as fast as my finger would go.

One ring, two rings—

"Hello?"

"Hey!" I was still breathless from the play-'date' with Chris.

"Oh, hi, Cari!" She said, happy to hear from me.

"Hey, Franky?"

"Yeah?"

"Before school starts, I was wondering if you'd want to come to the Singletown plaza. There's a show tomorrow night. I'm going to ask my new friends to come, too."

"Sounds great!"

"Really?" I was surprised. Usually she was jealous if I made new friends, but didn't envy me at all when I lost some. Or showed pity on me.

"No duh!" She said and flipped her brown hair over her shoulder. "And guess what! I got new clothes! I'm wearing a sexy purple camisole with these mini blue shorts with a purple heart near the bottom and purple strings! Don't I sound cute?"

"Adorable!" I said sarcastically.

"Well, what are you wearing?"

"A grey three-quarter-sleeved shirt that goes down to my waist with black leggings underneath, white legwarmers, and black sneakers. Oh! And a cool watch Chris gave me before I left his house to call you back."

"Chris? Ohhhh! Cari and Chris, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Shut up!" I shouted over her raging fit of laughter. "How's Dylan?"

"Now you shut up." She was serious now. "Don't EVER talk to me about Dylan Sanders! I swear I'll never forgive you OR him!" Well, at least she stopped teasing me.

And at least I had a cool watch from Chris.

Oh, wow…it stared blinking!

Chris's image appeared.

"Hey, Cari! It's Chris! Find Cathy's house A.S.A.P! Go to the backyard to the clubhouse! It's an emergency!"

"Hey, uh, Franky, I got to go!" I hung up and ran out the door. "Marie, Chris called me and said I need to meet up with the gang!"

"Whatever! Be home in ONE HOUR!"

"Got it!" I slammed the mahogany door shut and ran down to Cathy's as fast as my legs would let me.


	3. The AScanner

**Cari Lane's POV**

**I burst through the wooden door, gasping for air.**

"**What's the emergency?"**

"**Something---uh, strange has been located on the edge of Singletown, and we want you to help us catch it." Sam said.**

"**So, here's your blaster, your suit, and---who gave you the V-com?" Danny informed and asked me. They all turned to Chris.**

**Chris shrugged. "What? I thought she would need it."**

"**He used it to contact me about the emergency," I said quickly.**

**All four of them got in a circle and said a particularly familiar line: "M.B.C, POWER UP!" and in no time flat, they were in the coolest suits I've ever laid eyes on. They were all black with streaks of a different color. Chris was blue, Cathy was pink, Sam was yellow, Danny was red, and I—was a dark grey.**

"**Sorry it's not bright," Said Cathy.**

"**It's fine. I love grey and black." I said as I looked over my suit that I was now wearing. "What does 'M.B.C' stand for?"**

"**Monster Buster Club," explained Chris, "we catch monsters and aliens for a living, but not for pay or fame. Just for the people and the town."**

"**That's nice. Now let's go!" I said as I jumped into my own little rocket car. I pushed down hard on the accelerator and went so fast I thought I might puke. When we got to the outer line of Singletown, we saw nothing.**

**Chris pulled out his A-scanner. No alien traces, but a powerful energy source was coming from very near. He walked in circles until the A-scanner was pointing at me. And beeping hysterically. They knew………**


	4. Claire

**Claire Beauregard's POV**

**I hated socializing. Period. **

**Everyone at school ignored me, and there was nothing I could do about it, and I hated getting too much attention. I mean, what **_**is**_** there to like about me? My stupid hair that's always in my face, ok, my tall and thin figure's ok, I guess, but my eyes are the ugliest chocolate brown and my hair's as brown as an old tree trunk, but maybe darker. Like a Hershey's bar, almost. Not pretty one bit. My lips are always dry and I can't buy lip balm because I wouldn't be caught **_**dead **_**in the makeup section at the mall.**

**My cell phone buzzed. It was Cari texting me.**

_**Hey, meet me at the mall. There's some people I want you to meet!**_

_**-C**_

**Whoopee. People. When will she understand that I'm not a people-person? When?**

**At the mall…**

**I sauntered through the mall until I saw Cari with a group of kids our age. One had brow hair like me (but lighter), but shorter since he was a boy, and the biggest green eyes I've ever seen. One of his eyebrows, above the left eye, to be exact, had what looked like a tiny scar going though it near the edge of the brow. He was wearing a purple jacket atop orange pants and red sneakers. Another was exactly my height (exactly) with big blue eyes, and dark blue hair and tanned brown skin, wearing a aqua long-sleeved shirt underneath a short-sleeved turquoise open button-down shirt with purple-pink and yellow stripes, one each. So two stripes on the short-sleeved shirt. The girls were very different. One was sporty-looking with the other looking like a teen queen.**

**I walked up to Cari and pulled her aside. **

"**Who are these people, Cari? When will you get I'm not a people person? Never?"**

"**Sorry, but dang it, Claire, you need to meet new people.**

**I tugged at my brown bangs (it was a bad nervous habit) and pulled on my black long-sleeved shirt and black flared jeans that were torn at the knees. They were designed that way. Last but not least…black sneakers with grey streaks on the sides.**

"**This is Cathy, Chris, Danny, and Sam." Cari said, pointing to each person in the group. **

**I shrugged as my 'fair hello'.**

**Suddenly my watch beeped. And so did the groups'. Strange…maybe it was true…Yes. I have found them. **


	5. The Announcement

Claire Beauregard's POV

The concert was happening. And it was happening now. I had not time to forfeit, so I had to sing.

"And now, last but not least," Judge Ms. Carmen announced, the audience on-edge, "Claire Beauregard singing 'Wonderful'!"

They clapped and whistled and cheered as I cleared my throat.

I stepped up to the microphone.

The music started, and I sang on cue.

"I'm alone in this life, my dignity's undignified. And I'm really on my own…" The song went a lot faster than I had thought.

"I'm wonderful…" I finished. I wiped my tear-filled eyes.

"Hahahaha! She's crying!" Marc and his friends pointed at me and began to laugh.

"Hey, everybody! Marc's right; I am crying." My voice was loud now. I was shouting at them. "You know why I'm crying? This song was for my older brother who went to war for us in Europe to fight for us. _Us_. Us…but guess what? This song is for Jeffery because you know what? He never came back with the other U.S. soldiers that returned on airplanes and ships. He never came back…" I choked on my last sentence and ran out of the auditorium before anyone could say a word.

Down the sidewalk…

I was walking fast, holding myself and still crying at what I had said to the whole school. I wiped away more tears and sat down on a bench. I swung my legs up onto the bench and hugged my knees and hid my head for hours before my V-com beeped.

"Hello?" I said, wiping tears away.

"Claire?"

It was Cathy.

"Oh, uh, hi, Cathy…"

"I'm sorry about Jeffery…"

"It's fine…"

"No, really, I—"

"Cathy, I don't want to talk right now."

"O-oh…ok…"

I closed my V-com and sat in the same position I had hours before…


	6. The Meteorite

Claire's POV

Someone stood in front of me, so I looked all the way up and realized it was Cari.

She held out her hand.

I handed her back her V-com.

"I'm sorry I took your V-com, Cari…"

"It's fine." She muttered.

"_I miss him_…" Tears stung my eyes. My throat was dry as cotton and my black turtleneck was choking me and my denim blue flared jeans were feeling tighter around my waist and I felt as if I might pass out I was so upset.

Cari sat next to me and held me close, playing with my dark brown hair. "I do too…"

Just then Marc and his gang showed up. Perfect.

"Hey, um, Claire, about what I said—"

I stood up and was face-to-face with him. "What? Have more to say about Jeffery? Huh? Do you?"

"N-no! I'm sorry about what I said. I lost someone too, but he wasn't in the army. He died of pneumonia when I was six…" he lowered his head, and his gang left, waving and bidding us a farewell.

"Oh…I'm sorry about that…"

"Well, I just wanted to say I was sorry, Claire."

I watched him until he disappeared down the sidewalk.

"Well, that was sad. Pneumonia? Geez…" Cari whispered to herself.

"Yeah…"

Chris, Cathy, Sam and Danny caught up with us.

"Are you ok?" Sam asked, resting a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I sniffled and wiped my eyes.

A bright light shot through the sky, and all the other's V-com's beeped wildly.

"What was that?"

"A ship…" I murmured. "They've found me…" I ran as fast as I could towards the crash.

-At the crash-

Chris pulled out the A-scanner and it said that the meteorite had a powerful substance inside of it. I had a hunch that the meteorite contained gillexoid. I put my hand on the meteorite.

"Don't' touch that!"

Chris pulled me away from it and gasped.

"What?"

"Where are you?"

"I'm right in _front_ of you!"

"No you're—you are! You're invisible!"

The others gasped. And so did I.

"Whoa…this is so cool!" I ran around in circles.

The others gasped again.

"Claire, you're—you're—!"

"I'm what?"

"BRIGHT YELLOW!"

Cari was right. I was somehow…_glowing_.

I looked down at my trembling hands and screamed.

-At school the next day-

We were walking down the hallway to science when my V-com beeped.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Charlie. I have news about the meteorite."

"What about it? What did you find out?"

"It contained gillexoid."

"I knew it!"

"You did? How?"

"I—don't know…"

"Claire! You're telepathic and you have telekinesis because of that thing! You have—_powers_!" He cried.

"Really? Gillexoid? Doesn't that shorten your life-line?"

"Yes."

"Goodie…"

"You have three days left until you disappear forever!"

I closed my V-com and leaned against the wall.

"What is it?" Cathy asked.

"I'm going to disappear forever in three days."


End file.
